Overhead airbag cushions and related systems

Abstract

Overhead airbag cushions are disclosed suitable for installation to a vehicle having an alternative seating arrangement, e.g., “campfire” or “living room” style seating wherein vehicle seating positions face each other. The overhead airbag cushion deploys from above a vehicle seating position to be disposed to receive at least a head of an occupant of the vehicle seating position. A reaction surface of the overhead airbag cushion may engage a roof, a windshield, or other structure of the vehicle to limit deflection of the overhead airbag cushion during loading as the occupant impacts the overhead airbag cushion. Internal and/or external tethers may assist in positioning and supporting the overhead airbag cushion.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An overhead airbag cushion comprising:
 a main chamber to receive inflation gas to expand from a packaged state above a vehicle seating position and deploy downward to be disposed forward of the vehicle seating position in a deployed state; 
 an elongate head chamber that extends from the main chamber toward the vehicle seating position at an angle, the elongate head chamber defining an upper surface configured to, in a collision event, receive a head of an occupant seated in the vehicle seating position, 
 wherein the elongate head chamber deflects vertically relative to the main chamber when the head of the occupant engages the elongate head chamber thereby changing the angle between the elongate head chamber and the main chamber; 
 a lower chamber, wherein the extension chamber is disposed between the main chamber and the lower chamber; and 
 a vertical internal panel tether that couples to a vehicle facing portion of the main chamber and to an occupant facing portion of the main chamber, wherein the vertical internal panel tether comprises a planar surface arranged vertically within the overhead airbag cushion in the deployed state, and wherein the vertical internal panel tether extends across a first opening between the main chamber and the elongate head chamber and across a second opening between the main chamber and the lower chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 1 , wherein a free end of the elongate head chamber comprises an upward projection. 
     
     
       3. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate head chamber deflects vertically downward. 
     
     
       4. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the main chamber provides a reaction surface that is configured to engage one of a vehicle roof structure and a windshield. 
     
     
       5. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 1 , further comprising a second internal tether that extends from an occupant facing portion of the main chamber to a vehicle facing portion of the main chamber. 
     
     
       6. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the lower chamber is partially inflatable. 
     
     
       7. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 1 , further comprising an internal tether that extends from an occupant facing portion of the airbag cushion to a vehicle facing portion of the airbag cushion and disposed between the main chamber and the lower chamber,
 wherein the internal tether comprises a plurality of internal vents. 
 
     
     
       8. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an external tether with a first end coupled to a first lateral side of the lower chamber and a second end coupled to a first vehicle structure; and 
 a second external tether with a first end coupled to a second lateral side of the lower chamber and a second end coupled to a second vehicle structure. 
 
     
     
       9. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 1 , further comprising an external tether with a first end coupled to the lower chamber and a second end coupled to the elongate head chamber near a free end of the elongate head chamber. 
     
     
       10. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical internal panel tether couples to a vehicle facing portion of the main chamber and the lower chamber and to an occupant facing portion of the main chamber and the lower chamber, wherein the vertical internal panel tether controls a geometry of the airbag cushion upon deployment. 
     
     
       11. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 1 , further comprising a lower reaction chamber that extends from the lower chamber away from the occupant and is configured to engage with a vehicle structure. 
     
     
       12. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 11 , further comprising a second internal tether separating the lower chamber from the lower reaction chamber, the internal tether comprising a plurality of vents. 
     
     
       13. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 1 , further comprising an external tether with a first end coupled to the main chamber and a second end coupled to the elongate head chamber near a free end of the elongate head chamber. 
     
     
       14. The overhead airbag cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate head chamber defines a rearward surface to receive the occupant seated in the vehicle seating position, and
 wherein the elongate head chamber defines a bottom surface to receive a rearward facing infant car seat. 
 
     
     
       15. An overhead airbag assembly comprising:
 a housing to be coupled to a roof structure of a vehicle; an inflator; 
 an airbag cushion configured to deploy from the housing with inflation gas from the inflator and expand from a packaged state to a deployed state disposed forward of a vehicle seating position; 
 a main chamber with a first end adjacent to the housing and a second end; 
 an extension chamber that extends away from the main chamber at the second end toward the vehicle seating position, the extension chamber configured to deflect relative to the main chamber in a vertical direction, the main chamber and the extension chamber defining a cavity to receive a head of an occupant seated in the vehicle seating position during a collision event; 
 a lower chamber, wherein the extension chamber is disposed between the main chamber and the lower chamber, 
 wherein a portion of the main chamber provides a reaction surface that is configured to engage a structure of the vehicle to reduce rotation of the airbag cushion about a y-axis of the vehicle during occupant loading; and 
 a vertical internal panel tether that couples to a vehicle facing portion of the main chamber and to an occupant facing portion of the main chamber, wherein the vertical internal panel tether comprises a planar surface arranged vertically within the overhead airbag cushion in the deployed state, and wherein the vertical internal panel tether extends across a first opening between the main chamber and the extension chamber and across a second opening between the main chamber and the lower chamber. 
 
     
     
       16. The overhead airbag assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the lower chamber and the extension chamber define a second cavity to receive a lower body of the occupant. 
     
     
       17. The overhead airbag assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising an internal tether that extends from a vehicle facing portion of the airbag cushion to an occupant facing portion of the airbag cushion and is disposed between the main chamber and the lower chamber,
 wherein the internal tether comprises a plurality of vents. 
 
     
     
       18. The overhead airbag assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a first external tether with a first end coupled to a first lateral side of the lower chamber and the second end coupled to a first anchor vehicle structure; and 
 a second external tether with a first end coupled to a second lateral side of the lower chamber and a second end coupled to a second anchor vehicle structure. 
 
     
     
       19. An overhead airbag cushion comprising:
 a main chamber to receive inflation gas to expand from a packaged state above a vehicle seating position and deploy downward to be disposed forward of the vehicle seating position in a deployed state; 
 an elongate head chamber that extends from the main chamber toward the vehicle seating position at an angle, the elongate head chamber defining an upper surface configured to, in a collision event, receive a head of an occupant seated in the vehicle seating position, 
 wherein the elongate head chamber deflects vertically relative to the main chamber when the head of the occupant engages the elongate head chamber thereby changing the angle between the elongate head chamber and the main chamber; and 
 a vertical internal panel tether that couples to a vehicle facing portion of the main chamber and to an occupant facing portion of the main chamber, the vertical internal panel extending across an opening between the main chamber and the elongate head chamber, wherein the vertical internal panel tether is parallel to a plane defined by a front-rear axis of the vehicle seating position and a vertical axis.